Shabbat Shalom/Final Day

I think what I will miss the most about my multi-faith community is our shabbat service. Each Friday evening, as the sun begins to set we gather together in our home. Each week has brought new challenges, overwhelming information, self discovery and doubt and beyond. But no matter what happens each week, we gather together to think of a more perfect world.

This is not an easy practice. A week ago we visited a maximum security prison. As we shared this space with incarcerated men, their stories and poems unearthed emotion in us all. We reflected on the brokenness of our society and the injustices of the prison system. Coming home that night we started our shabbat service with troubled hearts and minds. How could our country be so entrenched in wrong doing? How do we reconcile the good we seek to do with the bad systems holding justice back? But I was reminded as we began to sing in Hebrew that life is not perfect. Shabbat is not living perfection, but a reflection of our earnest attempts to ameliorate society. Yes, we may be bogged down by injustice, weary and cynical at times, but shabbat reminds us to rest and take care of ourselves so that we may continue our journeys.

Yesterday, shabbat reminded me that the world is what I make of it. I can dream big dreams of what I want the world to look like. In Genesis, the creation story tells us that God created the world in six days and on the seventh day God rested because the world was good. Whether you believe this story is literal or not bears no importance. God saw the world as wonderful after six days of work and God rested. Sometimes it's hard for me to believe that there is ever a time to rest because our world is so full of suffering. But shabbat has taught me that rest gives us the chance to break from the ruckus of our weekly work and return to envisioning a more perfect world.

During my last night's shabbat I was not sad about leaving my multi-faith community but inspired to bring shabbat home with me to my own community. Maybe I won't know the tune to every Hebrew song and prayer, but I can rest assured that my intention will remain pure-- to rest, pray, dream and act. Shabbat shalom.

Day 7

I am surround by beautiful people and beautiful creation. Feeling very blessed to be where I am right now. It's exactly where I am supposed to be. People here aren't afraid to ask big questions, like "What do you think God is?". It's like candy for my spirit. To say that engaging in these topics excites me is an understatement. I am wowed by how many chances I get here to define and refine my personal faith and the mystical force out there in the universe.

We broke ground on our 30' x 50' plot today, turning a piece of a field into a brand new garden (or "gan" in Hebrew). We were only digging for about 45 minutes but many of us felt exhausted afterwards. Tomorrow's work session will be a lot longer with hopefully a lot more progress. The ground we dug today was dry and verrrrry tough but the combination of rain and sprinkler on the field now should really help.

Connecting to the earth and sweating because of working with soil is a wonderful feeling. We should all do it more often. Amen.

Day 1

So far, loving life here at my internship in the woods. There are 16 interns here ranging from just out of high school (teenagers, ah!) up to late twenties. I am on the upper end and proud of it. Today consisted of sweating, getting to know one another, sweating, house rules, sweating, delicious vegetarian dinner, a little more sweating and orientation and ice-cream. End of the night is scattered chatting about all our lives, what we do, face-booking one another, etc.

Tomorrow we're off on our camping trip, learning about the basic theme of our internship (wouldn't you like to know). We'll also be enjoying swimming, making a bonfire, and enjoying kosher smores. I'm not sure what makes smores un-kosher but I'm interested to find out.

Also I love the basic structure of our days, beginning with intentional morning mediation time, manual labor, and learning. There's plenty of free time also to keep me on my path of discernment. When Imet with one of the pastors of my church last Sunday she said that this would be a transformational time for me and I am starting to believe her. This month is going to be incredible.

Hope to have more writing to come... wish me luck in the woods.

G

A Gift

I recently went out to dinner with very close family friends. They are in full support of my journey and even brought a gift along to soften the blow of my job-quitting transition. It is an angel wearing a dress of the following phrases:

Embrace Change: Begin Today, Surround Yourself with Good People, Surrender your Fear, Feel the Brightness of Being Alive,
What is Calling You?, Take Flight for Your Dreams, Wear Red Shoes, Believe in Possibility, Be Brave.

So far I am wearing red shoes. Actually many of these statements ring true for me and it feels good to see them written down and have them staring at me, so that when I have doubts about my path I need only look up for encouragement.

Short post for now, finishing up at work tomorrow and then packing for my month away. I must admit my nervous feelings of going someplace new and unknown, but with every deep breathe comes contentment and excitement for the first part of my transition. I know many more posts will come as a result.

Happy Independence and Interdependence Day! Let's celebrate the good things.

G